Container for thixotropic products



June 18, 1963 R. v. BURT 3,0

' CONTAINER FOR THIXOTROPIC PRODUCTS Filed Feb. 8, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I! /a A? INVENTOR. Passer L 5 CONTAINER FOR THIXOTROPIC PRODUCTS Filed Feb. 8. 19 60 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Ease-er 1 Buer,

ATTOIZN EY- United States Patent 3 094 252 CONTAINER FOR rmxorRoPIc PRODUCTS Robert V. Burt, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Feb. 8, 1960, Ser. No. 7,334 3 Claims. (Cl. 222-410) This invention relates to containers and, more particularly, to containers for storing and dispensing thixotropic products.

Conventional containers are not satisfactory for storing and/ or dispensing thixotropic products. There are many reasons for this. One is the great diificulty encountered when attempting to dispense the product. It is usually necessary to shake the container violently or otherwise agitate the thixotropic product in order to transform the gel-like character of the product to that of a fluid. Another unsatisfactory characteristic is .that products of this nature tend to cling to the container walls making it impossible to remove the entire contents completely, unless a spoon or some other scooping or scraping means is employed. A typical example of these difiiculties is encountered by many persons almost daily when attempting to dispense catchup, which in its undiluted form is a common type of thixotropic product.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide a container for thixotnopic products which obviates the above difficulties.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a container for thixotropic products which can be used to initiate outflow of the product without the necessity of shaking the container.

. Still another object of this invention is the provision "of a container of the character described in which substantially all of the product can be removed without the necessity of scooping out or otherwise gaining access to the interior of the container.

Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, a container body is provided in which one or more scraper blades are mounted contiguous to the inside wall surfaces of the container body. The scraper blades are joined with a structure extending outside the container and terminating in a knob which, when turned,

causes the scraper blades to move and agitates the tainer discharge opening is pointed downwardly. This causes the product to become fluid and initiates flow through the discharge opening of the container while the volume of product discharged is being replaced by air entering the vent.

While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as forming the present invention, it is believed the invention will be better understood from the 3,094,252 Patented June 18, 1963 a modified form of container in which the scraper blade following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

ing partially uncovered; and

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the container of FIGURE 1 with the top cover removed; and

FIGURE 4 is a combined elevation and perspective view, partially in cross section, of the lower portion of and FIGURE 5 is an elevation, partly in cross section, of

lhe uaper portion of the container shown in FIGURE FIGURE 6 is a cross section taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is an elevation, partly in cross section, of another modified form of the invention; and

FIGURE 8 is a cross section of the upper portion of the container shown in FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 9 is a cross section taken along the line 99 of FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 10 is a cross section taken along the line 10--10 of FIGURE 7.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly FIG- URES 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a container body 11 of substantially cylindrical cross section having a bottom 12 attached thereto as by the crimp at '13. The container can be made hermetically tight by attaching the cover 14 seamed at 15 to the container body 11. The side of the container 1i1 below the seam 15 is in the form of a tear strip as at 16. The container body 11, bottom 12 and cover 14 are usually made from metallic materials, suitably coated when a food product is to fill the container, so that air is unable to enter the container after it is filled and sealed. Other materials can be used especially where air transmission is not an important factor to the safe storage of the product.

A structure for scraping the inner wall surfaces of the container is provided. This structure is compose-d of a plurality of scraper blades 17 lying contiguous to the inner wall surface of the container body 11. The scraper blades 17 are interconnected by a lower spider 18 and an upper member 19. The lower spider 18 is contiguous to the inner surface of the bottom 12; the upper member 19 has its edge below the tear strip e16. A knob 20' is fastened to the upper member 19' in order to move the scraper blades 17 when necessary.

A product discharge opening 22 and a vent opening 23 are provided in the upper member =19. A- closure disk 24 is mounted for sliding movement in the groove 25 of the upper member 19. The closure disk '24 has an open portion between the ends 26 and 27; it also has a vent opening at 28. A tab 29 extends from the closure disk 24 in order that it can be readily moved in'the groove 25.

In use, the product is filled into the container before the scraper blades 17 are introduced. The scraper blades 17 (assembled with the lower spider 18, the upper member 19 the closure disk 24 and the knob 20) are then placed in the container with the discharge opening 22 and the vent opening 23 covered by the disk 24. The top cover 14 is then seamed in place. When the product is to be poured out, the top cover 14 is first removed as by pulling off the tear strip 16. Then, the closure disk 24 is turned so that the opening between the ends 26 and 27 is aligned with the discharge opening 22 and the vent opening 28 is aligned with the vent opening 23'. The container is then held with its axis substantially horizontal and with the discharge opening 22 below the knob 20.

The physical character of the thixotropic product is such that it will not flow through the opening 22 when the container is held stationary in this position. Agitation of the product is required to change its character from that of a gel to that of a fluid. To accomplish this, the knob 20 is held stationary and the container body 11 rotated. This causes movement of the scraper blades 17 with respect to the inner wall surface of the container body 11, agitates the product and initiates flow through the discharge opening 22. The vent opening 23, 28 permits air to enter the container to replace the product dispensed. The vent opening is important to the proper functioning of the container; a thixotropic product can not be properly dispensed in the absence of a vent opening. The structure heretofore described has been found very satisfactory for dispensing a thixotropic product from the container. In addition, it has been found useful in removing substantially all of the product from the container as it is recurrently used because movement of the scraper blades does not permit any product to remain clinging to the inside wall surfaces.

The invention in another form is illustrated in FIG- URES 4, 5 and 6. In this embodiment, the scraper blades are turned by a knob extending through the bottom of the container and the upper portion of the container is in the form of a conventional pouring spout. Referring to the drawings, the container body 32 of substantially cylindrical cross section is provided with an inset bottom wall 33 having a threaded opening 34 which is normally covered by the cap 35 when the container is not in use. The upper portion of the container (see FIGURE 5) is composed of a conical top wall 36 and a threaded spout 37 which may be covered by a conventional threaded cap 37a somewhat similar to the cap 35.

Scraper blades 38 are mounted contiguous to the inner surface of the container body 32 and extend for substantially the entire length of the wall of the container body 32. The scraper blades 38 have extensions 39 which conform substantially to and are contiguous with the inner surface of the conical to wall 36 and the threaded spout 37. A lower spider 40 and an upper spider 42 hold the scraper blades in proper assembled relation.

The lower spider has an annular extension 43 which serves as a bearing within the inner portion of the threaded opening 34. A central shaft 44 extends from the lower spider 40 and is provided with a groove 45. The knob 46 is keyed to the extension 44 and is held in place by means of a snap ring 47 fitting in the grooves 45 and 48.

In this embodiment the scraper blade assembly composed of the scraper blades 38, extensions 39, spiders 40 and 42 can be inserted into the container through the bottom before the bottom wall 33 is attached. Thereafter, the bottom wall 33 is fitted in place and crimped as at 49. The knob 46 is snapped in place and the cap 35 is screwed on to complete the container. The container can be filled through the spout 37.

The use of this container is substantially similar to that of the previous embodiment. First, the cap 37a is removed from the spout 37 and the cap 35 removed from the threaded opening 34. The container body 32 is then tilted and the spout 37 directed downwardly toward any object into which the thixotropic product is to be poured. The container body 32 is held stationary in one hand, and the other hand is used to move the scraper blades 38 by turning the knob 46. Again, the agitation caused by the scraper blades brings about a change in the physical characteristics of the thixotropic product making it flow through the spout 37. The rotative action produces another important function for the proper operation of the container. By rotating the knob 46, a void is formed behind the trailing edges of the extensions 39 as at 50-. This void is created partly because of the plastic nature of the thixotropic product and partly because of the rotative action of the scraper blades. The void serves as an air vent and permits air to enter the container to replace the product being poured out.

Another form of the invention is shown in FIGURES 7-10 in which the knob for turning the scraper blades extends through the pouring spout of the container. In this embodiment, the container body 51 (FIGURE 7) is provided with a-bottom wall 52 having a central hollow at 53. The upper portion of the container terminates in a shoulder 54 and a threaded spout 55. A conventional threaded cap 55a (FIGURE 7) is normally attached to the threaded spout 55 when the container is shipped and stored.

Scraper blades 56 are provided with a feather edge 57, as shown in FIGURE 10. A lower spider 58 has a bearing extension 59 which rides in the hollow 53 and maintains the lower portions of the scraper blades 56 in substantial alignment with respect to the centerline of the container body 51 to prevent binding.

A fluted knob 60 extends through the spout 55 and is attached to the inner ends of the spiral arms 62 which, in turn, are secured to the upper portions of the scraper blades 56. Vent channels 63 are provided on the knob 60 extending to the trailing edge of the inner portion of each spiral arm 62.

Assembly of this embodiment can be accomplished by inserting the scraper blades 56, spiral arms 62 and knob 60 into the container body 51 before the shoulder 54 is assembled. The shoulder 54 is then crimped to the body of the container 51 as at 64. The container can be filled through the opening in the knob 60.

The use of this embodiment is somewhat the same as in the case of the previously described embodiments. After removing the cap 55a from the spout 55, the container is tilted so that the spout 55 is directed toward an object into which the product is to be poured. The knob 60 is held stationary while the container body 51 is rotated. This again causes initiation of pouring of the thixotropic product for the reasons heretofore described.

In order to obtain good results, it is preferred that the container be held so that the vent channel 63 faces upwardly as the container body 51 is rotated. The vent channel is, of course, provided to permit inflow of air to compensate for the outflow of product.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. An hermetic container for a thixotropic product comprising a container body having a substantially cylindrical cross section, a bottom cover seamed to said body at one end and a top cover seamed to said body at the other end, a tear strip around said body near said other end to permit removal of said top cover to gain access to the interior of the container, means for scraping the inner wall surfaces of said container, said means being composed of a plurality of scraper blades contiguous to the inner wall surface of the container body and extending for substantially the entire length thereof, said scraper blades being interconnected at one end by a lower spider contiguous to the inner surface of said bottom cover, the other end of said scraper blades being interconnected to an upper member having an outer rim, said upper member mounted below said tear strip on said body and substantially parallel to said lower spider member, a central knob fastened to said upper member and extending upwardly so that it fits inside the container when the top cover is seamed thereto, a product discharge opening and a vent opening in said upper member, a circumferential groove in the outer rim of said upper member, a closure disk mounted for sliding movement in said groove of said upper member, a product discharge opening and a vent opening in said closure disk corresponding to the product discharge and vent openings in said upper member, means on said closure disk whereby it can be moved in the circumferential groove of said upper member to a position where its openings are aligned with the openings in the upper member, said product discharge openings being unrestricted when in alignment to permit dispensing of product through said openings when the container body is turned relative to said knob, thereby causing said scrapf blades to agitate the thixotropic product and make it flowable.

2. An hermetic container for a thixotropic product comprising a container body having a substantially cylindrical cross section, an inset bottom wall seamed to said body at one end, said bottom wall having a threaded downwardly projecting central opening, a conical top wall terminating in an upwardly extending and unrestricted threaded spout, said top wall being seamed to said body .at the other end, said downwardly projecting threaded opening in said bottom wall and said threaded spout each being engaged by lower and upper closure caps, respectively, to efiect an hermetic seal within the container, means for scraping the inner wall surfaces of said container, said means including a plurality of scraper blades contiguous to the inner wall surface of the container body and extending for substantially the entire length thereof, each of said scraper blades being connected at its upper end to an extension member, each of said extension members conforming substantially with the inner surface of the conical topand threaded spout and lying contiguous thereto, upper and lower spiders interconnected with said scraper blades and said extension members for holding the blades and extension members in proper assembled relationship, said lower spider having a downwardly extending annular portion mounted within the said downwardly projecting central opening of said bottom member, a central shaft member extending downwardly from said lower spider member, said shaft member terminating outside said central opening in said bottom member, a knob attached to said shaft member, said annular portion, shaft and knob being enclosed within the container when the lower closure cap is attached to the threaded opening in the said bottom wall, and a void formed in the thixotropic product behind the trailing edge of said extension members when the container is inverted and the scraper blades rotated, said void serving as an air vent to permit the thixotropic product to flow through the said unrestricted threaded spout in the top wall when the container is inverted and the thixot-ropic product is agitated and made flowable.

3. An hermetic container for a thixotropic product comprising a container body having a substantially cylindrical cross section, a bottom wall seamed to said body at one end, said bottom wall having a substantially central bearing depression, a conical top wall terminating in an unrestricted and threaded spout, said top wall seamed to the other end of said body, a closure cap engageable with said threaded spout to close said container when not in use and to provide an hermetic seal therein, means for scraping the inner wall surface of said container, said means being composed of a plurality of scraper blades contiguous to the inner wall surface of the container body and extending for substantially the entire length thereof, said scraper blades being interconnected at their lower ends by a lower spider, said lower spider having a bearing extension which rides in said central bearing depression of said bottom wall, a spiral arm attached to the upper end of each of said scraper blades, each of said spiral arms conforming substantially to and being contiguous with the inner surface of said conical top wall, a fluted knob attached to the inner ends of said spiral arms and extending upwardly and being exposed beyond the said threaded spout, said fluted knob being enclosed within the container when the closure cap is attached to said threaded spout, vent channels in said knob, said vent channels extending on the outside surface of the knob from a point beyond the threaded spout of said container to the trailing edges of the inner portion of each spiral arm, whereby the thixotropic product can be discharged by inverting the container, removing the closure cap and turning the container body relative to said fluted knob to cause the thixotropic product to flow through the said threaded spout.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 480,146 Souder Aug. 2, 1892 778,770 Ziems Dec. 27, 1904 779,339 Wullf Jan. 3, 1905 1,050,665 Jan. 14, 1913 1,620,280 Newton Mar. 8, 1927 1,879,109 Coy Sept. 27, 1932 2,002,420 Strosk May 21, 1935 2,385,600 Banua Sept. 25, 1945 2,490,324 Rigby Dec. 6, 1949 2,760,689 Dudley Aug. 28, 1956 2,779,167 Lo Faro Jan. 29, 1957 2,978,146 P-ackwood Apr. 4, 1961 

2. AN HERMETIC CONTAINER FOR A THIXTROPIC PRODUCT COMPRISING A CONTAINER BODY HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL CROSS SECTION, AN INLET BOTTOM WALL SEAMED TO SAID BODY AT ONE END, SAID BOTTOM WALL HAVING A THREADED DOWNWARDLY PROJECTING CENTRAL OPENING, A CONICAL TOP WALL TERMINATING IN AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING AND UNRESTRICTED THREADED SPOUT, SAID TOP WALL BEING SEAMED TO SAID BODY AT THE OTHER END, SAID DOWNWARDLY PROJECTING THREADED OPENING IN SAID BOTTOM WALL AND SAID THREADED SPOUT EACH BEING ENGAGED BY LOWER AND UPPER CLOSURE CAPS, RESPECTIVELY, TO EFFECT AN HERMETIC SEAL WITHIN THE CONTAINER, MEANS FOR SCRAPING THE INNER WALL SURFACES OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SCRAPER BLADES CONTIGUOUS TO THE INNER WALL SURFACE OF THE CONTAINER BODY AND EXTENDING FOR SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE LENGTH THEREOF, EACH OF SAID SCRAPER BLADES BEING CONNECTED AT ITS UPPER END TO AN EXTENSION MEMBER, EACH OF SAID EXTENSION MEMBERS CONFORMING SUBSTANTIALLY WITH THE INNER SURFACE OF THE CONICAL TOP AND THREADED SPOUT AND LYING CONTIGUOUS THERETO, UPPER AND LOWER SPIDERS INTERCONNECTED WITH SAID SCRAPER BLADES AND SAID EXTENSION MEMBERS FOR HOLDING THE BLADES AND EXTENSION MEMBERS IN PROPER ASSEMBLED RELATIONSHIP, SAID LOWER SPIDER HAVING A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING ANNULAR PORTION MOUNTED WITHIN THE SAID DOWNWARDLY PROJECTING CENTRAL OPENING OF SAID BOTTOM MEMBER, A CENTRAL SHAFT MEMBER EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID LOWER SPIDER MEMBER, SAID SHAFT MEMBER TERMINATING OUTSIDE SAID CENTRAL OPENING IN SAID BOTTOM MEMBER, A KNOB ATTACHED TO SAID SHAFT MEMBER, SAID ANNULAR PORTION, SHAFT AND KNOB BEING ENCLOSED WITHIN THE CONTAINER WHEN THE LOWER CLOSURE CAP IS ATTACHED TO THE THREADED OPENING IN THE SAID BOTTOM WALL, AND A VOID FORMED IN THE THIXOTROPIC PRODUCT BEHIND THE TRAILING EDGE OF SAID EXTENSION MEMBERS WHEN THE CONTAINER IS INVERTED AND THE SCRAPER BLADES ROTATED, SAID VOID SERVING AS AN AIR VENT TO PERMIT THE THIXOTROPIC PRODUCT TO FLOW THROUGH THE SAID UNRESTRICTED THREADED SPOUT IN THE TOP WALL WHEN THE CONTAINER IS INVERTED AND THE THIXOTROPIC PRODUCT IS AGITATED AND MADE FLOWABLE. 